Ever such a polite man
by Terfle
Summary: Harry Bright's life partner wasn't a secret. But nobody had asked or wondered about how unconventional he could be. Only Tanya had a clue. Based on the musical


Harry fled further than was necessary, ignoring Tanya's shout as she got waylaid by Pepper, the randy hound. How did she know? He slowed down when he judged that he was well away from her blaring gaydar. He passed Bill and Rosie, flinging a snapper in the ice box and settling down to a late breakfast. There was plenty go around they said, come and join us but he declined. He took a piece of toast and cheese as a consolation prize and jogged on. He wouldn't have minded sitting around yakking about life this fine morning but he had had an invigorating swim and was now on a mission. He wanted to be on his own for a bit before he went to see Donna. He had made up his mind to do so. Now that he knew that Sophie was his daughter, he was determined to pay his way. Tanya had told him, father of the bride usually pays. By golly he was going to be that father of the bride.

His thoughts flicked back to when he first met Donna. Vibrant, full of fun and ready for anything. He could have fallen in love with a girl like that. Well, he did. He suspected that he'd always been a little bit in love with Donna. Why else had he followed her from Paris? She was the only girl he'd ever loved. Once he found that out, he had been pleasantly surprised. His first experience of what was to be his preference for the rest of his life took him by surprise, but he didn't have to think hard about being spontaneous then. He willingly went along with it and thoughts of what he had done with Donna went out of the window. He'd had a wonderful time with her but although he had a fond place in his heart for her, she was never going to be anything more than that.

He had thought he had his life mapped out. His parents certainly thought so. His meeting with Donna had changed everything. He now knew he could be more than what his parents had wanted for him. He had done as they wanted and joined the banking world not long after that holiday but he was a changed man.

He knew he had to be careful as he navigated the underworld of the queer man's dungeons. But Donna had given him courage that summer and he kept it in his heart and called upon it when he needed it. It had taken a long time for his family to suspect that something wasn't quite right with their golden boy. They were fooled at first, he loved a bit of football, what man wouldn't? But when his eyes landed on Lawrence, his interest in the beautiful game was only sharpened further with a beautiful man next to him.

He'd never known what the turning point had been, when his family had noticed. It was a gradual realisation. In public they referred to him as a bachelor and had ignored the signs of another man in his flat. Trying to match him with their friend's daughters and their daughters' friends had backfired, they were all jolly good company but had twigged by the end of the night where things stood. He was friends with a few of them still. He didn't wish for his family to be shamed by association. He was very discreet. But when he met Lawrence, it soon became very clear that they were a match made in heaven. Finally, his family realised that his friend that kept coming around for Sunday lunch and accompanied Harry to places wasn't just a friend. They would never address it but with the confirmation loud and clear, they tacitly accepted it and not a harsh word was spoken. Nor a word of acceptance. Harry was still waiting for the day that they could admit it out loud, but he had lost hope that they ever would. Added to that he was a bit of a coward himself. He was too well bred to bring it up so they continued along parallel lines and things had worked out well so far.

Lawrence had joked a few times that if Harry were to be cast in a play or a film, he'd be the butler. Lawrence himself would be the gardener. Harry liked Lawrence's long elegant green fingers. Well, black fingers. For Lawrence was a shade of dusky chocolate, even more shocking to bring home in those days, much less to have life affirmations with in not quite the respectable way. But they did; Lawrence boldly throwing out his love of football, motors and well-crafted suits to the public while Harry, quieter in his confidence, joined him. They were yin to each other's yang.

He sighed, thinking of the last argument they'd had before he came here. It had been trivial but they had almost parted on frosty terms until the last second when Harry had turned around and planted a kiss on his partner's cheek, dangerously close to the lips. Lawrence smiled and all was forgiven. Sometimes that man could be so pig headed but he knew it had cost Harry a lot to kiss him in public. He was reserved until he got drunk and bounced around like Tigger on crack. He was a lot of fun at parties, if a little ungainly.

He wasn't exactly what you'd call spontaneous either. Harry was an over planner by nature. But sometimes he just went and threw himself into things. Like coming here after 21 years. He knew it was the right decision once he got onto terra firma. He had felt a rising hope in his heart. He hadn't known why then but he knew why now.

That was slightly damped by Tanya who had flirted with him last night, had now laid a hand on his knee and had caused him to run like a jack-rabbit, giving the game away. He knew she knew. He didn't know if she was going to say something before he was ready but he hoped not. He trusted she'd keep it to herself and not tell Donna yet. That was up to him and he wasn't sure when the right moment was.

He showered, changed and wrote his cheque, heading over to Donna's quarters. He felt sad about who she had become. Now she seemed almost bitter, unhappy. Bringing up Sophie on her own and managing the taverna had taken its toll on her. He wanted to see the old Donna back with the sparkle in her eye.

He arrived at her door and took a deep breath. A gust of wind blew across the normally still landscape. He decided it was a sign. He had a daughter now, it was time for him to be responsible. He'd break it to Lawrence when he got back. He had the cheque ready in his pocket, along with his nerves. He patted his pocket and knocked on the door. Now was the start of a new phase in his life. Never too late to start.

He knocked and in he went.


End file.
